


Rewards for Loyalty

by VoiDreamer



Series: Loyal Hearts [1]
Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Feels, Corpo V (Cyberpunk 2077), F/M, May/December, PWP, Porn With Plot, Pre-Game Cyberpunk 2077, Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:41:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28440309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoiDreamer/pseuds/VoiDreamer
Summary: She tightened those silken cords with a slow, sexy smile before turning forward once more.“Unzip me Takemura-san?”Blood humming, burning, he stepped closer, taking a slow inhale to steady himself only to find her scent on his lips, in his lungs. Biting back the urge to groan, Goro forced himself to maintain control. But her proximity was intoxicating, and when his hand touched the small of her back he paused anew.Arasaka has a reputation for ruthlessness but anyone who works for them knows that loyalty is not its own reward. There are eddies aplenty and even a few unspoken perks of the job. V finds she gains access to one in particular that promises a corporate-sanctioned way to enjoy her down time. The silvery eyed man she meets seems like he's more than up to the job.Pre-Game AU where a Corpo V and Takemura meet under different circumstances.Likely not going to be a long one, just a bit of smutty literature. Rated for later chapters.
Relationships: Goro Takemura & Female V, Goro Takemura & V, Goro Takemura/Female V, Goro Takemura/V
Series: Loyal Hearts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2123403
Comments: 100
Kudos: 357





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am 100% on the Takemura x V ship, and am happy to help hoist the sails.  
> Totally dedicated to all the fellow Takemura stans who wish we could have all romanced our grumpy but capable Corpo bodyguard. 
> 
> Fingers crossed that there's a DLC that makes this all possible. 
> 
> Much love,  
> V

01 - Meeting

The first time she decided to engage the service she did not quite know what to expect. The few details gleaned from the discrete message in her inbox revealed only that she had received access to it because she had attained a rank and clearance appropriate to the offering. 

Jenkins had mentioned no such perk, and so Valerie knew that this would be another unspoken facet of her job, to be enjoyed if it suited her, but to otherwise never acknowledge. 

As with most things at Arasaka, the real details were buried in multipage contracts and carefully framed legal jargon. She had ridden the desk long enough to parse through the bulk of it without too much issue, but the lawyers of the corp are second to none in their vagaries, and so when she took her seat in the shuttle that morning, she was not entirely sure where she was headed nor who exactly she was meeting.

But she knew the ends. 

And in a world where corporate secrets were sold to the highest bidder or, more commonly, stolen by spies in the guise of pillowtalk, Valerie could appreciate Arasaka’s commitment and ingenuity in protecting their IP. 

“Welcome to Arasaka Air, Ms. V, would you care for a beverage?” 

The stewardess was refined, and discrete, appearing from behind a lacquer framed screen with a tray and several glasses of shimmering liquid. 

“Please.” 

Selecting a white, Valerie glanced out the window to find that Night City had faded from view. A feat of no small measure since the light pollution and flatness of land meant it could be seen nearly to the southern border. 

“Are you able to tell me our destination?” She asked the woman, taking a delicate sip and finding it to her taste. 

“This shuttle is bound for Tokyo Headquarters. We should be arriving in about four hours. You will be returned to Night City at the end of the weekend.” 

Valerie nodded absently as the stewardess left, allowing the gentle rumble of the ship to ease the small fissure of doubt that lingered. If the experience did not suit, then she need never try again, but she would not discount it until she had tested it herself. 

Given her line of work, she expected there would be fewer thrills. But if Arasaka was promising two nights of luxurious self delusion with a willing partner, then who was she to say otherwise? 

It would be just another perk of the job. 

XX

Goro had no idea how he found himself in such a predicament.

Oh, he understood the sequence of events, but his mind still reeled from it. Catching a glance of his reflection, at the silvering at his temples, he almost sighed before he caught himself. 

_ Maybe old age was finally catching up to him?  _

The thought was disquieting, dangerous, when his duty required him to function with the precision of a razor’s edge. He had once been competent enough, clever enough, to divert some of his employers’ more personal requests. 

But not this time. 

A lone wolf by nature, dedicated to service, Takemura couldn’t remember the last time he had willingly submitted to anything even approaching a vacation. And even now, the thought of respite for reasons other than medical left him feeling starkly bereft of purpose. 

But Arasaka-sama had made it clear, he wanted no one at the compound who was not an immediate family member. And while Takemura’s initial instinct had been to return to the academy and resume review of the new recruits, other plans had been made on his behalf.

Plans he did not dare ignore. 

Absently he folded his hands on the table, an old habit that helped focus him and returned him to mindfulness. 

He was to report back to Hanako-sama directly with his thoughts about the new service. Because apparently his opinion mattered to them, and if  _ that _ request had not properly humbled him, he was not sure what else to call it. 

Musing at the strangely shifting ground on which he found himself standing, Goro allowed himself the small comfort of a familiar cup of tea while he waited for...something.

Someone. 

The bar was Arasaka owned, discrete and tasteful. But for the first time, the furnishings almost felt like a cage, golden bars behind which he could only prowl with an impatience that was unlike his usual character. 

Then his comms pinged an alert.

Then _ she  _ walked through the door. 

XX

It was not often that Valerie visited the home office, and on those few occasions where she had been summoned, it was to support counterintelligence maneuvers requiring an unfamiliar face and a particular level of skill. 

Arasaka had paid the bills her entire life, her own as well as those of her parents before her. Such ties brought with it a clarity of what was needed to maintain a certain standard of living. Her loyalty was unquestioned, and her skills were at their disposal, always.

Corpo blood ran in her veins and stained her hands, and that was exactly how she liked it. 

She just hoped that the evening’s meeting would be short on any such violent delights. She was in dire need of a break, ideally with a companion of modest wit and a bit of bedroom skill. 

Perhaps if this was a success, she might entertain making this a more frequent part of her limited social calendar. 

Stepping into the sumptuous lounge she paused, surprised at how much she found it to her liking. Tastefully restrained, warm maple wood sat beside golden veined marble in a modern but intimate space overlooking the bustling city below. Fog had rolled in that afternoon, but now as the sun began to set, the vapor turned to billowing swathes of ochre and sienna. She could scarcely believe the view. 

Night City never quite measured up to the natural splendor that seemed to permeate every facet of the Tokyo megacity. But then, her home was one of noise, chaos and energy, an acquired taste if ever there was one.

Slowly making her way to the bar, she allowed the smokey crooning of the live music to ease itself around her like a favorite silk wrap. Smooth, seductive, she found she was smiling by the time she reached the bartop. 

“Good evening. Hatozaki 33. Neat.” 

It was her drink of choice, and one she only indulged in while visiting Tokyo due to its otherwise exorbitant prices. But rather than receive her drink, she was instead directed to the far end of the room.

Closer to the windows but hidden from view by cunningly designed screens, the table’s location offered the best of both ambiance and privacy. 

It was also already occupied.

And the man...

“Good evening.” The greeting was not particularly warm, but the timbre of the man’s voice was dark, rich, the sort of tone that reminded her of jazz bars and whiskey.

“Good evening.” She parroted the words back but her eyes were trained on him, taking in the sharp cut of his figure even in the dim light, noting the unhurried and confident way he straightened to standing and made his way around the table to offer her a seat. Having lived and worked closely with her fair share, V knew a trained killer when she spotted one but that realization did not bother her as much as it might have. Arasaka employed the bulk of the assassins currently working around the world, and those who were not specifically killers-for-hire were usually still just as deadly for other reasons. 

“Sit, please.” Slipping demurely into the seat, it was only when he settled across from her that Valerie finally managed a good look at him. 

Her reaction was inexplicable, electric. 

Masculine, with a stubborn jaw and a healthy number of cybernetic augmentations, her heart thundered at the intensity she found in his striking silvery gaze. He was older, but in a way that immediately appealed, and he wore the finely cut shirt with an ease that might have read as arrogance if not for upright posture that was intense rather than flamboyant. 

She had a feeling he was not a man taken to smiling, but the serious expression he wore suited his fine features. As did the tidy topknot, a detail which she did not linger on, but was one she knew would likely feature into future fantasies. 

It had been a long time since Valerie could remember being so fascinated. And never had the attraction been so visceral, arousing a fluttering in the depth of her belly, that left her feeling flushed and feverish. 

Had she been allowed full use of her neural net, she might have learned more. But it was poor form to scan an associate, particularly in Japan, and so she refrained. His restraint seemed to be of an entirely different level, however and it seemed she only had his most polite attention. 

Leisurely opening the bottle, her companion turned it so that she could confirm it was indeed the desired Hatozaki 33 vintage, before pouring a modest measure into a fine cut glass. 

Long fingered hands offered it to her a moment later, the metal at his knuckles glinting warmly in the candlelight. 

“We have not met before. I am Takemura Goro.”

He paused before securing a second equal measure of the whiskey for himself. 

Bowing slightly, Valerie accepted both drink and greeting. “Thank you very much Takemura-san, I’m pleased to be here.” 

“Pleased but perhaps confused.” He watched her over the rim on his glass, as if he could read her every thought. When she remained silent, he continued, pleased that she did not bother with false confidences. 

“Your appearance here is of a more personal nature than you are perhaps aware.” 

Valerie’s brows rose, “You have a full spec for me?”

Her comms pinged shortly thereafter, an encrypted message had arrived from an unnamed sender. But it was stamped with Arasaka credentials.

“Please,” He handed her the shard with the encryption key a moment later, “Take your time.” 

And so she did.

She looked up from the offer sometime later, finding that the lights had come on and the evening sky was now hushed to a deeper navy, the sort of color you never could see inside the bounds of Night City unless you lived up high, higher than even Valerie had managed. 

But she could not appreciate the moment for what it was, not with what she had just read. She was used to contracts, understood mission spec jargon with the best of them, but for once even she could not be sure she understood the implication. 

So she asked. 

“I am to be on loan to you...in a  _ personal _ capacity?” 

Her companion sipped idly from his glass, its contents swirling lazily, his eyes shifting from the darkened horizon to meet her own. 

“It would be a mutual arrangement.” 

“For sex.” She clarified, leaning forward in interest. 

“Perhaps.” The man smiled slowly, patiently, looking at her with eyes the color of moonlight, “If we both wish it. The purpose is for us to both benefit from the discretion and resources that only Arasaka can provide.” 

“Because the company cares?” There was more than a little sardonic humor in her tone, one that did not quite match the youthful cast of her features. 

“In its own way.” His response was oblique, “We are both of enough importance that Arasaka prefer we are bed partners than other options.” 

She chuckled, taking another sip from her glass. “So, how do we begin?”

Takemura paused for a moment, considering, “How do you feel about sushi?” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hi all - we're back again for a slight *ahem* more smutty chapter.  
> This thing is not quite a slow burn, but I am ALL about the tension, and you get a fair share in this one. 
> 
> I'll be aiming for about 5 chapters for this little fic and then we'll see what happens. But for now, enjoy :)

Rain has begun to fall on the glass atrium of the restaurant by the time they leave lending an intimate ambiance to their meandering path towards the elevator. The two walk together in easy companionship, murmuring softly between themselves never more than an arms length away from one another. 

It has been hours since they had first met at the heart of Arasaka’s Tokyo tower. And though he had guarded against it, Goro finds himself attracted to the woman at his side. There is a sharpness to her sweetness, a pragmatic mind beneath the engaging conversationalist.

Perhaps his time in service to Arasaka-sama had taught him the value of such a bracing personality, especially for those who worked as they did. Valerie was sharp of wit, and at times, sharp of tongue. But right now she was charmingly soft, sweet, as they played a word association game that had started as a silly diversion over dessert. 

“Old records” She grinned, “Classic vinyl. Not that other stuff.” 

“Jazz.” His response is immediate, instinctive. 

“Whiskey.” 

“Green tea.”

“Jinguji.” Teasing, she brushes against him as she turns the corner. 

“I have no idea what that is.” Expression dry, he signals the elevator and watches as she sways slowly back and forth like a lily in the wind. 

“Jinguji is fashion. It’s a luxury brand in Night City.”

Goro sighed, “Fashion is, how do you say it, not something I care about.” 

Her lips quivered, and she seemed to laugh at him with her eyes. “You dress quite well for a man with no interest in brands.” 

“I appreciate well made clothes.” He shrugged in response, holding the elevator door to let her enter first, “The name means little if there is no heart in the craft.” 

“I can appreciate that sentiment.” Nodding, she waited until they had begun their ascent before speaking again.

“Tell me more about your interests. I imagine we are both short on time for hobbies, but there is always something worth looking forward to.”

“It would have to be Kabuki.” He paused, reflecting on his choice, “But only if it is the right show and the actors do not deviate unnecessarily from tradition.” 

“So you are a connoisseur.” Her expression warmed, “I suppose I should have guessed, given where we just ate, but now you have confirmed it.” 

Valerie’s hand found his arm, the gentle touch lingering when he made no move to pull away.

Looking into his eyes, she smiled, “My time in Tokyo has always been limited by my duties, but I knew of _Oto_ by reputation. Thank you for taking me there. It was a singular experience.” 

His lips tilted up into a ghost of a smile. Touched by her sincerity, he caressed the fine edge of her jaw with his thumb. 

“You are welcome.” 

And though the elevator’s lighting was low, his eyes detected the increased color on her cheeks, her eyes lowering demurely. It was an unexpectedly shy reaction, one that tempered the confidence he had enjoyed all evening. 

But then, he was starting to understand her better. And Valerie was the sort of woman who enjoyed being indulged, and treated, even if she could manage such things on her own. He made that mental note before leading her down the hall to their suite. 

The room was geared to impress and succeeded on all accounts. 

After all, Arasaka did nothing in half measures. 

The space was a study in elegance, the furniture refined, the lights dimmed to an inviting glow. It was all too easy to spy the sumptuous bed that dominated the bedroom as they entered. Accents in gold, with a silk canopy draped to effect, the mental picture of Valerie’s nude form laid bare across those soft cream colored sheets rose to the forefront before Goro thought to censure himself. 

Cheeks flushed, eyes slumberous, in his mind’s eye there was a teasing tilt to her lips, and the taste of her-

He turned away from the vision, towards her, just in time to catch the knowing glitter of her gaze. 

When she took a single, dangerous, step in that direction, he almost choked. 

He had no doubt that she was aware of her own attractiveness. Her every detail was a meticulous collection of considerations. From the polished hair to the elegant gown, all were meant to show her to advantage. And if that wasn’t the calling card of Arasaka’s counterintelligence division, then he was not as clever as he believed. 

She had accused him of being a connoisseur, and he was, of more than just fine food. 

But if he was interested in her carefully composed facade, then he was not quite sure what to make of it when she began to strip it away. Her tailored jacket went first, dislodged with a careless shrug that revealed her generously curved figure, the nip in of her waist and the decadent fullness of her behind. 

The dress clung to her like a lover might, reveling in her shape as she continued towards the bedroom. How she moved so fluidly in those delicate heels was a skill he couldn’t begin to understand, but was one he definitely appreciated. 

By the time her hands had lifted to pull the decorative pins from her hair Goro was near panting. Catching himself, he had only just managed the barest veneer of composure when she turned.

The shift in her appearance was unmistakable. 

The glint in her eye when she saw the careful way he had laced his fingers, utterly wicked. 

“Am I making your hands tremble?” She asked, the picture of false innocence. 

She was enjoying teasing him, tempting him. 

That knowledge did nothing to free him from her allure. 

She tightened those silken cords with a slow, sexy smile not bothering to wait for a response. 

“Unzip me Takemura-san?” 

Blood humming, burning, he stepped closer, taking a slow inhale to steady himself only to find her scent on his lips, in his lungs. Biting back the urge to groan, Goro forced himself to maintain control. But her proximity was intoxicating, and when his hand touched the small of her back he paused anew. 

She fit perfectly in his shadow, would fit him even better once she was out of those shoes, out of her dress. 

His hands tightened for just a moment, and he heard her soft catch of breath. Tracing the line up her back with the barest of touches, he eventually found the small tab of her zipper at the base of her neck, half hidden by her unbound hair. 

Downy softness teased his fingertips as he gripped that narrow bit of metal. Unwilling to even risk tangling her hair with the catch, he paused, shifting her unbound locks over her shoulder, doing his best to remain focused. 

That small precaution handled, he returned to the task.

Forcing stiff fingers to gently tug the zipper loose, his every fiber tightened at the rasping sound that followed. Every inch was the sweetest of torture, a test of his control. 

And that’s when he saw it, so sheer it was little more than a suggestive shadow, the sexiest sort of getup he had ever seen.

“Did you manage it?” She asked after a long, heated silence. 

He cursed softly when the silvery spine of the zipper gaped wider, giving him more a generous eyeful of that devastating black lace. 

His control shook, broke, and in that next moment his lips were on the exposed side of her neck, pressing several viciously soft kisses to where her pulse thundered. 

Reveling in the sweet smell of her hair, the warmth of her skin on his lips, her soft inhale of surprise that had grown husky with her own arousal, he all but growled when she rolled her hips backwards, pressing her luscious curves against the insistent line of his erection. 

“Join me, Takemura-san?” 

The offer was met with a pang of lust so strong Goro wasn’t sure how he didn’t shake with it. 

“Goro.” He spoke roughly, barely recognizing his own voice, “You can call me Goro.” 

She understood what he was offering, the significance. Turning to look him in the eye, she reached up to brush his cheek in an echo of his earlier touch in the elevator. 

“Call me Valerie.” 

His lips tugged into a pained smile. “I am not an impatient man, Valerie.” 

Voice gruff with effort, he paused, as much to remind himself of the importance of control as to give her space to make a measured decision. Gesturing to the far side of the hall, to where a generous tub waited to be filled to overflowing with hot water he forced himself back a step, then another. 

“Please, allow yourself the pleasures of Arasaka’s hospitality.” He inclined his head to the sofa, “I will remain here until you return. We can determine our arrangement together afterwards.” 

XX

Valerie slipped into the bedroom on shaking legs, closing the door with hands that trembled. 

_Breathe._

She pressed her back against the door’s solid surface and tried, struggling to slow the way her heart hammered. Touching the spot where his kisses still burned, she felt the core of her clench in remembered pleasure and wanting. 

_Fuck but he was something else._

Just the memory of him behind her, the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck, the heat of his mouth, left her feeling dizzy. 

The intensity of that silvery gaze when they had finally lifted to meet her own was one she knew she would never forget. 

_Goro._

Biting her lower lip to stem her whimper of desire, she pressed her palms to her aching breasts, finding that even that was not enough, was not what she wanted. 

Moving with haste despite the unsteadiness of her legs, she managed to shimmy out of her dress before stepping out of her heels. She was hardly a petite woman, but without the shoes, she would be that much smaller. 

She had noticed Goro was broad in the chest and shoulders, he doubted he would have any issues putting her exactly where he wanted. But for a woman who so usually was in control, the thought of him taking the lead, at least eventually, was something she wanted to indulge in. 

If she was being honest, she wanted to do more than indulge. But to do that, she would first need to sweet talk him into taking off _his_ clothes, immaculate though they were. 

What would he look like without it? And how far down did the cyberwear go? 

Glancing at her own reflection, she traced the edge of one seam down her arm and made sure that all of her more dangerous utilities were well and truly offline. Then, that bit of housekeeping complete, she contemplated whether it made any sense at all to leave on her lingerie before heading to the bathroom. 

Making her decision, she slipped into the silk robe that had been provided. Black with the delicate Arasaka insignia on its shoulder, it swathed her in its luxurious texture, ratcheting up the tension as it slid between her thighs, across her buttocks and belly in a teasing facsimile of what she wanted. 

_A weekend’s pleasure._

She hoped the bath would help ease some of the tension that came with the waiting. 

A cold shower might be more appropriate under the circumstances. 

Tugging the belt of the robe closed, Valerie decided to forgo the matching slippers to pad barefoot out into the living area, finding Takemura’s back was to her. He had given her the privacy to move between rooms unseen. The gesture was not one she requested, nor even expected, but she found the consideration warmed her in a way that was more tender than lusty. 

But only slightly. 

It didn’t help that he seemed to have shed his jacket in the meantime. She found she was led all too easily by her curiosity to circle the sofa and take a peek at what he looked like in repose. 

The sight alone was worth the detour.

Collared shirt unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to frame muscular forearms, the tailoring had been executed with such precision that V could not help but follow the lines of Goro’s body with an appreciative look. 

“If you are staring, I shall demand an equal turn.” Goro glanced up, his silvery eyes burning. 

Valerie had always enjoyed playing with fire. 

“Sounds promising. Does that mean you’ll be undressing soon?” 

“I shall consider it.” He spoke slowly, deliberately. But she knew she had his attention. It was with more than a little satisfaction that she watched him watch _her_ , his gaze lingering on all the right places, on the curves that were emphasized by the silk of the robe and the sharp peaks of her nipples. 

“Are you cold?” He asked idly, wickedly. 

“Not in the slightest.” She responded with equal sass, liking how desire darkened his expression, “Maybe you might consider helping a lady out?” 

He chuckled, “You enjoy teasing me.” 

“I get the impression you don’t get teased often.” She responded frankly. 

His expression turned considerate for a moment, “This is true.” 

She laughed, as she approached him, “Clearly I will need to take responsibility and offer more.” 

Leaning down slightly, she offered him just that, the neckline of her robe loosening ever so suggestively. When his breathing deepened, she stepped closer still, until her hands found the strong line of his shoulder and she was able to press him against the back of the couch. 

“Forgive me, Goro?” 

“For what?” He wondered aloud. 

Silky thighs slid snugly against him a moment later. Knees bracketing his hips, bringing them close enough to touch from breast to belly, Valerie watched in satisfaction as the hooded intensity of those silver eyes deepened in awareness. 

Already flushed with arousal, she bit her lower lip when the natural cradle of her hips settled her directly over the strong line of his erection, the insistent press of his own interest impossible to miss. 

They really did fit together quite exquisitely, even if he was still wearing too many clothes. 

Swallowing delicately, Valerie could not quite manage to look contrite as she answered, “It would appear that, unlike you, I am horribly impatient.” 

He chuckled, amusement lightening his features. 

“Perhaps I will need to teach you some manners.” He murmured, eying her with blatant appreciation. His hands cuddled her closer, moving her against him in a lazy sort of rhythm that made her heart pound in her ears. 

Hands finding the buttons on his shirt, she managed to work a few loose in between the moments of smoldering friction. But the way he was moving her was too good, the touch of his mouth on her neck so completely distracting, that she could barely keep focused. 

And when he shifted in a way that felt particularly right, she very nearly ripped the remaining few buttons off. 

“ _Goro_.” 

But he gave no sign of having heard her, and instead he caught her high in his lap, slowing her further. The sweet torture turned to desperate desire, and her hands all but raked the shirt from his shoulders, baring him at last. 

He caught her wrists before she could even move to touch, holding her immobile, tempting her with the sights that she could not yet have. 

Eying the well muscled beauty of his body she whimpered. She had thought him beautiful on multiple occasions, but even her wild imaginings over dinner had not quite done him justice. He was a marvel of male musculature and Arasaka tech, elegantly integrated, and undeniably _hers._

As if he could read her thoughts his lips curved into a blatantly masculine smile, not quite smug, but satisfied. 

“Say please.” He ordered in that quiet deliberate way of his. 

Feverish, she snarled softly in protest, allowing herself to struggle against his natural strength, feeling her pleasure ratchet up as a result. 

“I’ll go no further unless I hear the word.” He said firmly, willing her to obey. 

_Daring her to disobey._

Her response was a slow, rhythmic roll of her hips against his own, grinding with such sweet pressure that she drew a blistering curse from his lips. The words were met with an answering fissure of feminine satisfaction low in her belly and it was with a very naughty, very satisfied smile that she crooned the word. 

“ _Please_.” 

And so the evening began. 

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who left comments and kudos with that last chapter! It was awesome to hear from you all and I just wanted to say that I appreciated the time you took in giving my little fic a read. 
> 
> This chapter really does make it earn its rating...but I think that's really what we're all here for ;)
> 
> I could not have done this without all your encouragement. Thanks again! 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy,  
> ~Voi

Goro carries her into the bedroom with the sort of negligent strength that makes Valerie feel unaccountably feminine and delicate. Eyes dark with desire, he pauses only long enough to close the door before settling her against its smooth surface, his mouth intent on pleasure. 

Eyes sliding closed as he nibbles down her neck, Valerie’s hands skim along the back of his head in encouragement. Silken hair beneath her fingertips, she finds his elegant topknot unconscionably tidy despite their activities. Nudging it with nimble fingers, she longs to unwind the length of it, to watch it soften the stubborn planes of his face. 

“May I?” She waits until his eyes meet her own before gently tugging on the small tie, letting him know what she’s talking about. 

He looks serious, too serious, and for a moment she thinks he might actually refuse. 

And then she sees it, the glimmer in his eyes, the touch of a cheeky smile on the corner of his lips. “Ask politely.” 

She grins, for it is a game between them now, and she adores it. 

“Please?” She asks, trying her best to sound equally somber, hiding a smile of her own in the kiss she pressed to his temple. 

“Like you mean it.” Gruff now, Goro won’t look at her, but she can see the color on his cheeks. 

Stubborn man. Valerie can’t help the bubble of amusement in her chest, the affection. And so she teases, nibbling his ear while her hands trail down the front of him, thumb smoothing over flat male nipples until he is leaning his fevered forehead against her shoulder.

“ _Pretty please_ , Goro.” 

His shudder of pleasure delights her, the husky timbre of his voice thrills, “As you wish.” 

Unbound hair falls around his shoulders a moment later, a cascade of hair so black as to be almost blue. 

“It’s so long.” Valerie murmurs in frank appreciation, brushing the thick strands reverently into a single silken tumble, “I had no idea. You have excellent hair care.” 

“Valerie.” He grumbles.

She puts one hand to his mouth, giving him her corpo-ice-queen stare to stop his complaints, to make _him_ listen to her. Or at least, that’s what it was supposed to do. 

The look she gets instead is mutinous, conniving. 

And she gasps when his mouth opens on the palm of her hand, sucking and licking with such lavish intensity that she has no doubts as to what act he’s mimicking. She squirms in his arms, flushing as she aches for him. 

“ _Tease._ ” She pulls her hand away and cradles it to her breast, “ _Behave._ I want to enjoy you.” 

He inclines his head towards her in a parody of abject humility, but his smile remains wolfish, his eyes burning. 

Running her fingers along the top of his head, she finds where the topknot had sat and gently scratches at the scalp. And though he had originally protested, there’s no missing the appreciative groan that falls from his lips. 

He really does have beautiful hair. The bulk of it is dark, but it is the other pieces that draw her attention, and she lingers on the bits of silver that match his eyes. 

He lets her play for barely more than a moment before he turns to carry her to the bed

Valerie grins. “I thought you weren’t an impatient man.” 

He doesn’t dignify _that_ sass with an answer. Instead he deposits her on top of the sheets, straightening as he orders, “Lean back please.” 

She does as he asks, but slowly and in her own way, flaunting herself with a smile and a provocative arch of her back as she settles against the pillows. She is gloriously naked, and she revels at the texture of the luxurious fabric beneath her. 

Goro cannot help but be taken in by such a sight. His earlier imaginings had not done her justice, at a minimum they had not accounted for the shockingly sensual design that covered her from sternum to the tops of her legs. The pattern seemed to echo the lines of her body, to accentuate the figure she had to flaunt. 

It was beautiful.

_She_ was beautiful. 

The soft ambiance of the bedroom only seemed to emphasize the fact, and his hands ached to follow their lead, to skim to curves and hollows of her form until she was ready for his intimate possession. 

But before he can step closer, to follow their lead, she props herself up on an arm to give him a perusal of her own. 

“You’re overdressed.” 

Given that she is completely unclothed and he is still wearing pants, he cannot quite argue the sentiment. But he means to curb her bossy streak, for both their pleasures, and so he pauses just as he touches his belt. 

“I told you to lean back, Valerie.” 

When she pouts, he remains as he is, hard and immovable, in more ways than one. 

Finally she gives in, settling back against the pillows but keeping her eyes firmly fixed to where his hands bracket his buckle. 

“Good. Now, spread your legs.” 

Her eyes snap up to meet his own, and he watches as a myriad of emotions cross her face before she shyly glances away. It is much like their first touch in the elevator, and Goro is hit by a wave of tenderness amidst the maelstrom of lust. 

“Slowly is fine.” He reassures, touching her ankle with a gentle caress. 

Her cheeks darken in response, her chest heaves several times in deep breathing. 

But she does as he asks, and slowly, _so slowly,_ she eases her legs apart, opening herself to his gaze. 

He inhales deeply when she stops. 

She swallows delicately, biting her lower lip as she glances up at him. 

And in the silence, he observes how the shadows play upon her body in delight. But it is the light that teases him most wickedly, and the wet glint at the apex of her thighs almost sends him to his knees. 

“Wider, Valerie.” Short, intense, they leave his lips on a sensual snarl. 

And though she inhales shakily, the pause between indecision and action is shorter this time. 

Hands clenching at the bedding at her side, she seems to shore up her confidence before she steadily inches her legs wider. It is as she moves that he sees it, the small smile that blooms upon her features, the languid ease that settles over her lovely body. 

And when she finishes, folding her arms above her head in a pose of feminie confidence, he knows she has found herself. 

“Better?” She purrs as she shifts, offering every sweet inch of herself to his attention. 

He smiles in a perfect reflection of her expression, finding pride and lust mingling in the strangest of cocktails. 

“Perfect. Do not move.” Then his hands unclenched at his sides to nudge his belt buckle, “Now, I believe it is my turn.” 

XX

 _Oh Fuck_.

Valerie wasn’t quite sure what she expected to find when Goro finally took pity on her and removed his pants. But then, she was still stuck back at his smile, the one _she_ had put on his face without even touching him. She hadn’t expected it to be so startlingly attractive, or sweet, brightening his features with a boyish charm. 

But before she could further opine on that particular facet of his character, his pants dropped. And she realized, she certainly hadn't expected _that_ either.

_Fuuuuck._

Her imagination clearly needed some work because she was missing out. 

Biting her lips hard to avoid moaning out loud, Valerie couldn’t help the way she ate him with her eyes, starting unabashedly, following the silky trail of hair that led from his navel to the strong line of his masculinity. 

The strong line of everything really. The intimate lighting of the room suited him, showing his well honed physique to full effect. Goro was a practical sort of man, which meant the muscles had to be purposeful. Whatever he did for Arasaka clearly required a level of fitness that suggested he was in a dangerous sort of business. 

Well, more dangerous than usual. 

Her toes curled as he strode forward, the shadows deepening as he climbed on the bed and joined her, laying between the V of her legs so that he could rest a warm callused palm on the smooth curve of her hip. She continued to watch him with such salacious interest that he flushed. 

“Valerie. Your expression.” He shook his head, flattered beyond words.

Leaning forward, setting his chin low on her belly, he chuckled and the vibration of it traveled between them. Valerie felt her core clench, felt the slick between her thighs grow.

“Touch me.” She begged, sliding one of her legs around him, urging him closer. 

And this time he did as she asked without any sort of complaint. Hands gliding up from her hips, Valerie found that the calluses on his hands, the slight abrasion of his cyberware on her skin, were unexpectedly arousing. 

Corpos, particularly in Night City, were notoriously polished and buffed in the pursuit of perfection. In many ways this was a natural extension of the collective obsession with chrome. But with Goro, everything felt unexpectedly organic, real, heightened because of the heat and texture and intensity of _sensation_. 

They both groaned when he found the luscious weight of her breasts, filling his hands to nearly overflowing. He had deliciously large hands, Valerie noted, admiring how well they fit around her. 

Luxuriating in his touch, she inhaled sharply when his fingers found the tender peak of one nipple. In sweet agony when he began to apply the slightest of pressure, she arched in silent demand for more. 

But he never moved from between her thighs, and when his hands withdrew, she found their attention quickly turned to the softness of her belly, her thighs, and the part of her that is softest of all. 

Aching for him, she gasped when he finally brushed the little bundle of nerves, a carefully measured gesture that left her squirming beneath him.

Petting her with increasing intimacy, he chuckled in satisfaction at his discovery, “You are _dripping_ for me, Valerie.” 

The tension in her belly increased with every lazy whorl of his finger, every tease of his thumb on the delicate hood of her clit. 

He was a master of tease, and though she could feel the blunt heat of his fingertips on her, circling her, he never quite pressed where she wanted him most. The silken moisture of her arousal was drawn slowly where he wanted it, but he never penetrated, and the need for him continued to grow until she thought she would go mad. 

Desire coiled to the near breaking point, her legs trembling with the effort to keep them open, Valerie hands clenched with the overwhelming need to hold him to her. But he had issued orders and she meant to at least _try_ before giving in. 

He remained startlingly focused through it all, uncompromising, and by the time he brought her to the very edge of wanting for the third time she was sweat-streaked and nearly insensate. 

Unable to stop the reaction, her legs tried to close with a sort of jerkiness that was more instinct than thought. Because of his position, Goro caught her knees before they could collide with him.

Caressing and soothing, he watched as she squirmed, the smile on his lips sensuous. 

“Valerie, Open. Your. Legs.” 

His tone was controlled as ever. 

But when she hesitated, Valerie watched as that control flexed, catching a flash of the ravenous hunger beneath the stillness, restrained only by force of will. 

When the silence dragged on she tried to do as he asked, willing herself to understand what more he wanted from her. 

She watched in stunned silence as he lifted her hips, as his mouth descended.

As he _devoured_ her. 

She had thought his earlier suggestion, with his tongue on her hand, had given her some small insight into what he was capable of. That sensation paled in comparison to the real thing. Coupled with the intensity of his earlier onslaught, she could not deny him anything.

The skill of his tongue, the insistent thrust of it within her, the obscene and wonderful sound of him having his way. She clutched the back of his head in helpless, wondrous, gratification. 

Tethered to him in his way, anchoring herself in the thick beauty of his hair, she allowed herself to be taken, coaxing him on with small touches and whimpers of encouragement. 

He could punish her later if he remembered that she’d disobeyed another one of his rules.

But for Valerie, there was nothing else but him, and his touch, and the way he made her feel. 

Racing up to some invisible peak, she slid her other leg higher and felt herself shudder when he hooked them easily over his shoulders so that she was entirely at his mercy.

She came almost immediately from the shift in angle. 

“Oh _god_.” Groaning in wanton abandon, she tried to muffle the volume of her shout but was unable to do anything but crest that final peak as he pushed her over the edge. 

And then it was just pure, undiluted bliss. 

The sort that wiped all else from her mind. 

Valerie was only vaguely aware of him withdrawing from her body, of the gentle way he lowered her back to the bed and eased her onto her side, spooning her easily while he waited for her recovery. 

The feel of him, still so hot and hard at her back was enough to ignite the desire that had only very temporarily been sated. And it took only a few restless moments before she turned in his arms, her smile brilliant. 

“Thank you.” She kissed the corner of his mouth, liking the way his eyes regarded her suspiciously. 

_Smart man._

Sliding closer so that she could brush the tips of her breasts against his chest, she watched as his color deepend, as his whole body flexed with a control that was quickly running out. 

“Your turn?” she asked idly, hands skimming down the flat expanse of his abs, touching the silken trail that would lead her directly to the root of his sex. But before she could claim her prize, he shifted away. 

Pouting, she licked her lips in a slow and unmistakable invitation. 

“Next time.” He promised huskily. “For now, on your knees.” 

The direction makes her grin, even as she rolls onto her belly, “Promises. Promises.” 

And this time, there is a measure of impatience in the way he handles her. A detail which delights her and makes her want to misbehave in the worst possible way. 

Feeling him against the back of her thighs, she rolls her hips in a pantomime of what she wants, moving with a decadent fluidity that teases her softness against his searing hardness. 

And then he was _there_ , easing into her tender opening, entering her with such shocking insistence that her hands scrambled to find purchase. 

“ _Fuck.”_

Whimpering, she pressed her fevered face to the bed as he slid deeper, eased by the generous slickness of her previous orgasm, his pace unhurried but utterly unstoppable. Like the power of the tide, he slid smoothly in by degrees, unrelenting, reading the subtle hints of her body until he reached the deepest part of her. 

“Breathe Valerie.” He ordered raggedly, hands flexing at the curve of her hip, stroking and soothing. 

“I-” She panted, swallowing hard, struggling to think past the heat of their joining and the intimate feel of him inside her, “You’re _big_.” 

He swelled ever so slightly at the compliment. Swearing under her breath, Valerie inhaled so deeply she feared she might pass out. 

“That wasn’t an invitation to get _bigger_ you show-off.” She gasped, clawing the sheets as she pressed her face more firmly to the pillow “ _Ohmygod_.” 

A warm hand settled on the back of her neck, gently massaging, “Am I hurting you?” 

The question was concerned, tender. 

“Not really. I just need a moment.” Dewy and dazed, she managed a small taut smile, “You really do take this punishment thing to heart, huh?” 

He snorted, shaking his head, “Sometimes you say the most outrageous things.” 

“You like it.” She mewled softly when he shifted, the sound morphing into murmured encouragement a moment later when he found the spot she liked. 

The hands on her hips flexed, and just as slowly as he had entered so too did he start to withdraw. He was very nearly out when she shifted backwards, driving herself against his torrid length. 

“ _Goro_.” She moaned. 

“Be good.” He growled, feeling her inner muscles clutch at him.

“You don’t want me to be good.” She managed to choke out, straining against him at the next thrust, gasping when he slid particularly deep, rolling her hips in time so that she met him with equal energy. Each thrust got better, harder, sharper with temper. 

“It is _you_ who does not like being good.” He snarled, moving more swiftly now, pumping into her with such intensity that the large bed shook, “Your every action is a tease or a taunt.” 

“I turn you on.” She laughed in between harsh gasps of agonized delight, “Because whatever authority you have at work doesn’t count for shit with me.” 

“Minx.” The word is choked with pleasure. 

Her response is immediate, smug, “You _like_ it.” 

Goro has her flipped onto her back a moment later, pressing inside her again before she can even protest his loss. 

“ _Oh F-fuck.”_

Large hands manipulating the angle of their penetration, she can see his eyes glitter now that they are once more face to face. Arms around his neck, she gasps his name, urging him on, whispering every filthy thing she wants. 

It has exactly the sort of effect she had hoped, and then there is no time for thinking, for wondering. There is only feeling, and fucking and the heat of his body above her, in her, as he moves to possess her with an all encompassing intensity that leaves her dizzy. 

It seemed impossible to think past the sizzling ecstasy that came in waves, driven from the rhythmic thrusts of his hips and the feel of his body brushing her own, the flex of his muscles playing in sharp contrast to the smoothness of her undulating hips. 

But it was the fierceness of his expression, the undiluted _uncontrolled_ desire in his eyes that pushes her to the breaking point. 

Clutching at his back, his buttocks, Valerie tries to take him deeper even as the final threads of coherence threaten to slip through her fingers. 

“Yes, yes, _yes_.” 

And then she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, could only _feel_ as all of her nerve endings fired, rocketing her up that final crest, the experience heightened only by the way he quickly followed her. 

The moon-pale rings of his irises were the last things she saw before oblivion claimed her. 

XX

Valerie returned to awareness some undetermined time later. 

“Did I-?” She opened her eyes slowly, trying to understand what happened. She was still in bed, but Goro was stretched out next to her, a blanket at their waists. 

“You fainted.” Her lover’s lips twitched into a smug smile, “I had time to clean you up.” 

“I did not -” She tried to protest, but while she did ache, there was no denying she was unexpectedly tidy under the circumstances. 

Her cheeks flushed deeply, in both mortification as well as delight, “Thank you.” 

“You are welcome.” He responded quietly. 

“How long was I out?” She wondered, liking how closely he held her, shifting the blanket so that she wouldn’t get cold. 

“Just a few minutes.” He murmured, closing his eyes contentedly. 

“That _was_ rather exquisite.” Valerie spoke after a long moment, “I may have to send you a present as a thank you. I’ll have my people talk to your people.” 

Goro snorted in amusement, turning to look at her. 

“I’m serious.” She insisted, sliding a hand over his chest to curl her fingers over the spot where his heart beat steadily, “I have an amazing assistant back at my office.” 

“You do not need to bother.” 

“You’re not into gifts?” She asked with languorously ease. 

“Personal effects are not something I’ve needed to worry about.” 

“So no special cufflinks for fancy occasions or personal mementos?” 

“Not really.” Goro idly stroked her beneath the blanket, but the touch was intimate rather than sexual, “I have long since given up sentimentality.”

“But when you were younger?” 

“I was born under more limited circumstances. But yes, I suppose there were some small things.” 

His expression softened, “The year after I had completed my training at the academy my grandmother gave me a _box_ for my birthday. It was small enough to fit in my hand, wooden, nondescript to the point of ugliness.” 

He chuckled as he recalled the memory, “For almost a year I could not understand why I had received such a useless thing. There was no lock, so I could not put valuables inside, and it was so small that even if I _did_ there would not have been any room for it.” 

Sighing at the folly of his youth, Goro glanced at his lover, surprised to find her listening intently. 

“There was something special about it.” She spoke knowingly, with the same sort of secret smile his grandmother had worn when she had pressed the box in his hands for the first time. 

“It was a puzzle box. It took me almost two years to figure out the seven steps to solve it.” He sighed, folding his hand over her own. 

“And inside the hidden compartment?” Valerie wondered, setting her chin on his chest. 

His eyes shimmered with mirth, “A secret meant only for my eyes.” 

When she gave him a little shove, he just grinned, “What of you, Valerie? What was your most memorable gift?” 

“Ooh no. You don’t get to sidestep my question and then ask me that.” She wiggled away, laughing when his much stronger arms caught her around the waist and hauled her back, “Turnabout is _not_ fair play when it comes to asking personal questions. I’m going to make you earn it.” 

“Is that so?” He sounds intrigued.

“Yes. But not now.” Smiling, settling down, she leaned her forehead against his own and sighed, “Dealing with you is _exhausting_.” 

He nudged her against the pillows, “Brat.” 

“That’s not what you called me earlier.” She murmured silkily.

He sighed, well used to her teasing now, “No, I suppose not. Come on, time for bed.” 

And without another complaint, she did just that, nestling against him, tucking her head under his chin. 

“Sleep well.” She sighed, eyes sliding easily shut. 

And though he did not say anything in return, his arms tightened around her before he too fell asleep. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! 
> 
> We're starting the wrap-up portion of this fic, so expect a bit of plot with this side of sexy ;) 
> 
> I loved the response I got to the last chapter, thanks to everyone who joined us, gave the fic a read and even took the time to write me (and offer some great resources for reading too!).
> 
> My goal is still to close out this fic after the next chapter, but I am considering writing another. We'll see how the inspiration hits - but let me know if there's anything you would want me to try. I'm thinking of a mini-sequel of sorts that digs into what happens when Arasaka tries to push things further...but we'll see if there's an appetite for that. 
> 
> In any case - thanks so much for your continued support. I hope you enjoy!  
> ~Voi

Morning sunshine streams across the pale tiles of the bathroom to frame the large tub that dominates the space. Soft as a caress, it dances with a lightness that Valerie feels in her breast, an irresistible urge to just _enjoy_. 

What an evening it had been. 

She had risen early as was her habit, sore but so very pleased. And though she had lingered beside him to watch him sleep, the idea of greeting Goro with breakfast in bed had amused her enough that she had decided to do just that. 

The hotel had room service, but she had no appetite for that. Rather she wanted to slip outside, to just _glimpse_ the city from the ground, and find a small cafe for her needs. 

If all went well, then she would be back before he even realized she had left. 

Such a gesture might have been almost romantic under other circumstances, but in many ways Goro was still a stranger, or so she told herself, and there was no real concern there. 

But first, a shower. Given her plans it made sense to keep things efficient. 

Still...the tub called like a siren’s song, teasing and tempting. 

Surely she was capable of taking a quick bath?

Making up her mind, Valerie adjusted the temperature before setting the tub to fill, watching the vapor fill the room until it rolled like a heavy mist around her ankles, hugging her with a moist heat that promised to ease the soreness of her body.

Perching on the edge to slip her toes into the rising water, Valerie felt her face flush at the tender throbbing between her legs. 

Goro had been insatiable last night and she had loved every minute of it. She had even enjoyed their conversations before and after the fact, which made him exceedingly rare in her esteem. 

That she _liked_ him as a person, put Goro Takemura in a category all his own. 

Arasaka had made good on its promise of service and matched them well. There was no denying their compatibility. But that was all that had been on offer for the weekend, and when the shuttle arrived that evening she would go.

Valerie ignored the pang of loss in her chest at the thought, the sharpness inexplicable and unwarranted. She was determined to keep things as objective as possible.

So involved was she in her commitment that she almost missed the whisper of a cool breeze across her shoulders, the shift and swirl of steam as it raced past her.

_Someone had entered the bathroom behind her_. 

His arms wound around her a moment later, his body still wonderfully warm from bed. 

“Goro.” Voice hushed, she smiled fondly as she tilted her head up to look at him. He was not so intimidating now, bleary eyed and still a bit rumpled from the bed, but his expression was grumpy as ever. 

She grinned, “Good morning, sleepyhead.” 

“Good morning.” His voice rumbled in her ear.

Valerie sighed, knowing her plans were quickly coming undone, “I was going to try and get you a surprise while you slept. I suppose I should have known.” 

“I am not one for surprises.” He said quietly, carding his hands through her unbound hair with a sort of lazy possessiveness, “But I appreciate your thoughtfulness.” 

“Not one for gifts or surprises.” She made a tsking sound in false disgust, “What am I going to do with you Goro Takemura?” 

And then, because she was met with silence, she laughed, opening her eyes to find him watching her with an intensity that she was starting to understand. 

“Too many ideas, huh?” She smirked, “Come on, bath first.” 

XX

Goro has never actually bathed with a partner. 

Communal showers and a general lack of personal space as a child meant that he had been _around_ other people, but the experience of sharing a small tub, this intimacy, is new. 

And for a man whose job regularly puts him in harm's way, he knows how to assess a dangerous situation when he sees it. What he doesn’t know how to do is deal with this particular woman, especially when she looks at him like that and drifts towards him in the water, her hands full of expensive shampoo. 

“Easy now.” Her expression is bright with humor, “I’m not going to eat you.” 

Kissing his temple, he hears her sigh as she slides her hands through his hair, “At least not yet.” 

Hands flexing, he pulls her closer, liking the picture she makes on her knees, perched forward so that she can gently massage her fingers along his scalp. 

“Did you sleep well?” She asks, gently scrubbing in a sort of caress that is almost as distracting as the tantalizing sway of her breasts in front of his face. 

“Well enough. The bed was too firm.” Thumbing the dusky peak with slow sensuality, Goro glances as her, “You?” 

“I was out. Completely wiped.” Glancing at him with flushed cheeks, it is then that Goro is struck by how very young she looks. Bare faced and naked in the light of day, there are no shadows to hide her features, no makeup to age her. That Valerie is beautiful is not up to discussion but seeing her now makes him wonder. 

“How...old are you?”

“Not as old as _you_.” She says tartly, easing her fingers from his hair so that she can find a washcloth. Straying to the far side of the bath, she plucks one from the linen caddy before finding her way back into his arms

“Does it matter?” She asks, sliding the cloth over the circuitry of his neck, her movements measured and meticulous. 

Despite his reluctance, he finds the truth spills readily from his lips, “Not as much as I thought it would. We are surprisingly compatible.” 

The words seem to please her, and Goro is surprised to find that her expression eases something in his chest too. It is the strangest of tensions, a sort of coil that binds him more with every little thing she does, like when she leans further to work on the back of his neck, all but offering herself. 

His open palm grazes the softness of her belly a moment later, curving over her hip in the next. 

“Be good.” She scolds, squirms, still working, using the detachable faucet head to wash the suds from his hair. 

His dark chuckle is not any sort of reasonable answer, but she understands him well enough when his lips find the puckered peak of her breast and gives it an ardent suckle. She is warm in his mouth, supple and delicious, he cannot stop his other hand from cradling it’s twin as he lavishes the first with attention. 

_“Goro.”_

His name is followed by a scandalized feminine gasp and an arch of pleasure, one that invites him to indulge further in the sort of pleasure he wants to provide. 

By the time his lips have fastened on the other breast, she is trembling so much that he wraps his arms around her waist to steady her, bringing her flush against him and easing her thighs open so that he can touch her freely. 

Skimming between her legs, her entrance is soaked, slick with the sort moisture that has nothing to do with water, and everything to do with how badly she wants him inside her. 

“What are you doing?” She pants, biting her lip as he plays with her, “I’m trying to _wash_ you.” 

“This is more important by far.” His smile is arrogant, indulgent. But then another thought dawns on him and he pauses, gentling his touch until she looks at him. 

“Are you trying to explain that you are not ready for such intimacies?” He asked quietly, thoughtfully. “Should I stop?” 

“No.” Definitive, immediate, she shakes her head as she absorbs his meaning, touched by his consideration, “I’m a little sore, but please don’t stop.” 

“You’re sure?”

She nipped his ear playfully, “Very sure. Thank you for asking.” 

And then his mouth is back, pressing open mouth kisses to the swells of her breasts, teasing her nipples back to stiff points. 

His hands move counter to that, stroking the satin of her thighs before they inch higher, back to where they had quested not a moment before, slipping past the flowered lips of her sex to the silken channel within. 

Groaning, she holds him to her as the heat builds, as the world narrows to the insistent tug of his mouth and increasingly keen touches of his fingers. 

And when she does not think she can stand it a moment more, she covers his hand with her own, making him still. 

“Goro.” Husky, needy, she manages to project a measure of authority when she says his name a second time. 

“My turn.” 

Goro understands the words for what they are. That his lover is making a demand rather than a suggestion only pleases him more. 

Despite his line of work, he is not usually one to be so casually commanded, and so the novelty paired with the sensual picture she makes has him intrigued. But he’s not about to just let her take over without proving to her which of them is still in control. 

Pressing his fingers into her for a final intimate caress, he slides them from her with a dangerous smile, knowing that he has her undivided attention. Covered in her cream, drenched in the evidence of her pleasure, he holds it between only long enough for her to understand what she’s seeing. 

She gasps when those same fingers disappear into his mouth, his dark gaze never straying from her own. He says not a word until each finger is licked completely and utterly clean. 

Eyes glittering, he watches her, “By all means. Do not let me stop you.” 

She hasn’t moved, her cheeks so deeply flushed that they’re nearly crimson, but she sees the gauntlet thrown for what it is, and she means to rise to the challenge.

“You’re such a tease.” 

And then she is moving, trailing her hands down the hard plane of his body to dip below the surface of the water, brushing against the part of him that is hot and ready for her. He jerks at her first tentative touch, already so near the edge but unwilling to admit to such a truth.

He remains captivated by her expressiveness and he cannot deny either of them the pleasure that follows her curiosity fueled exploration. Gritting against the need to explode, he locks one hand at her hip, gasping when she circles the head of his erection and gives an insistent squeeze. 

“I guess you like that?” Her large eyes blink up at him in an entirely too innocent smile, her hands churning the water as she handles him. 

When he opened his mouth to respond she tightened her grip, and the world swam with pleasure. Gritting his teeth against the wave of delicious agony, when she did it a second time a litany of curses spilled from his lips in japanese.

Valerie kissed the sharp edge of his jaw, nibbled beneath his ear as she began to work him more quickly, chuckling at the rasping breaths he forced into his lungs. 

And then she thumbed the velvety crown with just the right sort of pressure and she drew such a reaction that his entire body seemed to flex beneath her hands, the muscles in his arms bunching as he drew up beneath her. 

“ _Valerie_.” 

His pupils were so wide that the silver of his irises shone like the thinnest of coronas. He was pressing into her a moment later, impaling her with a masculine snarl that made pleasure skitter up her spine. 

“Ooh _god_.” Whimpering as she drove her hips down upon him, Valerie gasped as her body tried to adjust, to accommodate the generous size of him. It was easier than the night before, but there was no denying that she could feel every fevered inch of him stretching her snug channel. 

Groaning when their joining completed, she shifted her hips, trying to soothe some of the sensual ache she felt low in her belly. But every time she stirred, he went with her, until she was sweat streaked and trembling with unresolved tension. 

“You jerk.” Nails biting into the tops of his shoulders, she ground her hips down against him until he looked just as wild as she felt, “What do you want?” 

“Move.” He growled, “Now.” 

“That’s what I was _trying_ to do.” She groused back, her expression taut with sexual frustration.

“No. You were trying to get _comfortable_ .” His hands closed around the smooth globes of her ass, and he began to slide her up and down his length, “I want you to _move_.” 

The pace he set was swift and punishing, wonderfully rough. 

When she took over, he very nearly swallowed his own tongue. 

She rode him with a level of almost single-minded devotion, reading the shifts in his body to draw the reactions she wanted. Most of them involved him cursing, and she laughed when she was rewarded with a particularly blistering string of promises that she knew she would remember for long after the weekend. 

“Am I moving enough for you?” She crooned as she rocked back and forth, liking the blazing look in his eyes, the possessive clutch of his hands on her behind, the way he let her lead. 

The water sloshed violently around them, the sound of their frantic coupling echoing in the cavernous space. And in those final few moments, she nudged them both over the edge, squeezing him tight as she went rigid above him, the silken clasp of her body taking into the velvety nothingness beyond. 

_He would miss this_. 

The thought echoed in his mind like a discordant note a short time later, unsettling the peace with a fissure of doubt. Opening his eyes, Goro could tell by the light that it was very likely close to noon now.

Their morning was gone, but he could hardly complain, Valerie’s boneless body laid against him like the most decadent of blankets and he could not think of a better way to awaken. 

Slowly disengaging from her body, she was awake by the time he finished, and he helped her out of the tub with a gentleman’s consideration.

There is water all over the bathroom, most of it on the floor rather than in the actual tub. They both eyed the mess and grinned. 

“Shall we dress?” He asked, “Perhaps brunch?” 

She watched him in frank appreciation, “Maybe eventually.”

“Oh?” His lips quirked and he paused on his way out of the room, “What else did you have in mind?” 

“I was promised a _turn_ last night.” Still dripping wet, she led him towards the generous stall of the shower where a low bench provided all the space they would need. 

Turning on the hot water, she looked up at him with a naughty smile, “Can’t you tell? I’m _starving_.” 

XX 

Goro was not one for laughter, but as he watched his lover tuck into what was perhaps the biggest breakfast he had ever seen, he could not quite smother the curve of his lips. 

He did not yet know what to do with the time they had remaining, but after the bath, and then the decadent detour in the shower, not to mention the fiery fling in bed he was not quite sure that there was any use in making plans. Even this, a meal in some obscure little cafe, had not been to his expectation, but that was not necessarily a bad thing.

It was impossible to be anything but charmed by the wide-eyed enthusiasm Valerie seemed to bring to every facet of Tokyo living. Her reactions were startlingly unscripted, and he appreciated the brash honesty even if they _were_ starting to get looks. 

“What?” Cheeks stuffed full of pancake, her fork ready with another unconscionably large piece, Valerie was the strangest combination of sexy and sweet he had ever met.

“You are not one for half measures, are you?” He asked, raising his mug of coffee to his lips. 

Her eyes narrowed, “Is this your subtle way of telling me that my table manners are offending you?” 

He grinned, “I’m not actually sure you have any table manners to speak of.” 

“Jerk.” She shoved another bite in her mouth just to spite him, “These are _delicious_.” 

“Perhaps business dinners are best avoided in your case.” He said dryly, turning back to his own meal. 

Swallowing slowly, she straightened in challenge, “I promise you, I am fully capable of being a proper lady.” 

He didn’t look convinced. 

She pointed the prongs of her fork in his direction, “I was fine at sushi, wasn’t I?” 

As if to remind him, she straightened in her seat, shoulders rolling back with the sort of easy grace that settled around her like some sort of cloak. And when her hands settled on the edge of the table, Goro realized that he was seated across from a very different creature than the one who had been there a moment before. 

“What is your opinion now, Takemura-san?” 

Her tone was pleasant, cool, the sort of impersonal professionalism he had heard in Arasaka-sama’s voice for years. It sounded odd coming from Valerie, because even over dinner the night before she had been personable as well as engaging. 

She watched him with a stranger’s eyes now too, the look one of frozen and opaque glass. There was not a single emotion he could read in them. This creature of chrome and silk was Arasaka born and bred, with the sort of finely polished edge he knew was the result of careful corporate breeding rather than simple training. 

Not that she was lacking in any training either. The devil was in the details, and while he did not look too closely, he recognized the casual way she held her knife, the familiarity with which she maneuvered it a telling sign of her own education. 

It wasn’t what he wanted for her, not now, not with him. Sliding his hand across the table, his fingertips brushed the knuckles of one small fist. 

“Valerie.” He looked her in the eye, willing her to understand, asking her to step away. 

She did. And with an immediacy that almost made him smile, she put another horrendously large bit of pancake in her mouth, her expression softening as she quickly looked away, unable to hide the flash of vulnerability. 

What an enigma she was, this playful woman who was also so very dangerous. What unknown depths might she have offered given time and patience? Goro found himself caught unexpectedly in a swirl of such tender protectiveness that he paused.

He knew then how he wanted to spend the rest of the day. 

Glancing at the blue sky and white clouds that floated lazily past the window he knew exactly where to go. 

“You mentioned you had never spent time in Tokyo outside of work.” He hesitated when she remained quiet, “Perhaps we could make up for lost time.” 

His heart tripped in his chest when her fingertips brushed the back of his hand in an echo of his previous gesture. 

“I’d like that a lot.” 

XX

Valerie had enjoyed some of the best Arasaka had to offer in Night City: Reservations at Spice & Pepper, fine foods from Bleu for business dinners and a very impressive pad in Charter Hill. Life was to be enjoyed in her small bubble, shuttled between work and Westbrook. 

But as Goro led her on one of the many meandering paths in Shinjuku Gyoen she was struck by how different life for an Arasaka employee would be in Tokyo. For all that the iron first of the corp was most certainly present, the environment seemed far more in balance. The city park was clean, the citizens free to roam, and not once did she hear a trauma team overhead. 

The bustle of life seemed to recede with each step they took further into the greenspace, and by the time they spied the pavilion sitting on the water's edge, Valerie was only aware of the wind in the trees and the warm press of Goro’s hand around her own. 

The pavilion itself seemed ages old but well cared for, the dark wood gleaming richly beneath the deep orange of its arched roof. Nestled amidst the greenery of the park, there was a sort of privacy that was only compounded by the empty space they found within. 

“We’re all alone. I suppose that means you must tell me a secret now.” Valerie teased, as she followed him further inside. 

Goro shook his head in amusement, bringing her to where the building balanced above the pond, finding a bench in the shade of a great weeping maple. 

“What about the story you told last night?” She pressed, “What secret was in that box you received?” 

In the face of her stubborn chasing he finally relented. 

“There was nothing inside from my Grandmother. But the lesson remained. Guard your secrets and disguise your most cherished things with simplicity.”

She watched him knowingly, “A lesson you use even now, I imagine.” 

Goro glanced at her, “Yes.”

“Will this weekend go in that box?” 

“Perhaps.” He looked out at the water, exhaling slowly, folding his hands carefully before him while she too settled in. “In some ways it has not been as I expected.”  
  


Glancing at her, his brow raised in a question of his own, “What of you and your gift?” 

“Not afraid of a bit of sentimentality?” She asked. 

“No.” 

“Good.” 

And then she began. 

“My parents were forever going away on assignments, busy with corp work since things were going to hell in a handbasket back then.” Her eyes seemed to focus on something in the distance, on the memories, “They were busy but never distant. I enjoyed a surprisingly warm childhood despite their positions and responsibilities.” 

“You are lucky.” 

She nodded, “I truly was. One particularly busy year, I received a bracelet, matching bracelets actually, there was one for each of us. It was pretty and I liked it immediately, but it was more than a pretty bauble.” 

Touching the inside of her wrist, she sighed, “It was keyed to them somehow, just as mine was keyed to me. When they wore theirs I would feel their warmth. When I wore mine, my parents would feel me.” 

She grinned, “Even when they had to leave, off on one clandestine mission or another, that bracelet connected us, and it felt like they weren’t so far away.”

Her expression faded slightly.

“In the end, it was how I found out their op was blown. The metal cooled on me one day while they were away and I just... _knew_.” Her hand fluttered in some sort of meaningless gesture, “The handlers followed up a few hours later with the official statement, but that was that.” 

Absorbing her story in silence, Goro turned to her with those same patient eyes, “Would you have changed anything? The gift or the memories?” 

“No.” She shook her head, and he saw then that she was at peace with the past. “My parents were in a dangerous line of work, but they took every opportunity to be present, to enjoy the moments we had. I choose to do the same.” 

It was a concept he could appreciate, one he understood better than most. 

_Ichi-go, Ichi-e._

She repeated the words, liking the melodic way it fell from his lips. “What does it mean?” 

“It is a concept from formal tea ceremony, a reminder that even the most brief encounter is special, that it is a once in a lifetime event.”

Looking her directly in the eye, he continued, “Even if you meet the same people again, it would not be the same. And so you must cherish every moment for its beauty, however brief.” 

The words resonated and she nodded in agreement, “Words to live by.” 

Lapsing into an easy silence, they allowed the sounds of the park to fill the air. Finding comfort in the warm strength of his shoulder Valerie leaned against him, she enjoyed a quiet thrill when his arm wrapped around her back to bring her close. 

Neither said a word, but as she allowed herself to relax Valerie smiled at the soft almost soundless sigh that escaped Goro’s lips. 

Serious, intense, he looked almost unhappy, but the touch of his hand on her chin, the delicate brush of his fingers over the bow of her mouth was tender, achingly so. 

_Did she look at him like that? Did he feel the way she did?_

The knot in her chest tightened, but she had no name for the fissure of pain that made no sense. She wanted to ask, but she did not dare open her mouth and break the strange spell that had settled over them both.

Instead she offered what she could, capturing his wayward hand and pressing gossamer kisses to the sharp ridge of his knuckles. But it wasn’t enough, and she could not shake the strange longing that should not be there between them. 

_A moment of madness._

It was how she excused her next kiss, and the next, until she was back in his arms, on his lap. 

All she could think about was him. 

Because he was _hers_ , even if he should not be. 

Cradling his face in her hands, she paused, trying to memorize every detail, to remember this once in a lifetime moment. 

And when _he_ drew her down to brush her lips with his own, she felt it deep in her chest, as if he had touched her heart rather than just her mouth. 

Warm and tender, it was so brief as to be almost chaste. 

Like the whisper of butterfly wings on the skin, Valerie felt the heat of his mouth upon her own for only a moment before she lost herself in the sensation.

A hundred small kisses as he held her. 

A hundred small deaths as she melted against him.

She would commit each detail to memory. 

She would regret nothing.

And when they parted, lips bruised and flushed, she saw her own vulnerability reflected in his eyes.

“When do you have leave?” He asked quietly, watching her. 

She swallowed, her throat burning, “Two hours. I’m on the last shuttle.” 

He nodded somberly, his face a study in mindfulness, “Then we still have time.” 

She followed as he stood, “For what?” 

“Time to enjoy our moment.” He murmured, offering his arm.

Her heart ached, but she smiled through it. And when he turned, she blinked away the stinging tears that had no place between them. 

“I suppose we do.” 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are! The fifth and final chapter of this particular fic :) 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this little jaunt that explored a what-if that I know I was curious about. Thanks again to everyone who gave this one a read and shared their thoughts - I continue to look forward to hearing from you! 
> 
> Like I said, I do think there will be more fics in the future, but I want to make sure I have things a bit more planned before kicking off since it could go a number of ways. If any of you has a particular idea that you'd want to share, I'm happy to hear that too. 
> 
> Much love for all the love - the kudos, comments and reads are seriously the best!

Goro’s return to work is unremarkable.

Just as autumn descends on Tokyo, so too does he return to the natural cycle of things, to routine and rote. 

Each day provides a structure, and with it a chance to recapture inner balance. 

There is beauty in each morning spent in quiet watchfulness over Arasaka-sama, and a clarity won from the afternoons of long meetings coordinating protective details and contingency plans for upcoming events. Outside, the deepening colors of the leaves signal the passage of time, there will be the Lunar New Year to plan for, countless excursions, and he remains busy. 

But each night is a torment, and what peace is wrought in sunlight unravels with shameful ease in the dark. 

Looking at the full moon, at the bright roundness amidst the velvety dark, Goro wishes for some measure of that ageless serenity to be his. Because it has been almost a month, and he has noted the passing of each day with grim awareness. 

Each day is marked with a pang of what feels like loss. 

The weakness is his. 

He has lived to see a lifetime’s worth of faults in others to recognize this one as his own. 

It is unbecoming a soldier of Arasaka, unconscionable in the man responsible for defending the Emperor. 

And yet, the counting continues. 

Such habits remind him uncomfortably of his childhood, before self-control and training freed him from those bonds. 

_He misses her_.

That morning in the tub, he had suspected he might. But now the loss seems to cut like a knife. Not even the stoutest logic seems capable of blunting its edge. 

They had both known the parameters of the weekend, there had never been room for misunderstanding. They had carried themselves with all the decorum one might have expected. 

When they had parted at the shuttle pad he had accepted such certainty and she had left without a backwards glance. 

_Was that the issue?_

Goro stands at the edge of the courtyard surveying the tranquility of the manicured landscape, and wonders if the bite of chill in the air will drive out the strange sentimentality that two weeks of torrential rain could not. 

_If he focuses he can almost taste her in his mouth, can smell the hotel shampoo in her hair, hear her laughter and -_

Disgusted with himself, Goro turns to exit the compound, needing more space to prowl than the courtyard allows. 

“Takemura-san?” 

“Oda.” The edge in Goro’s voice betrays him as he turns to spot his protege walking down the path towards. The other man is not fooled by the contemplative clasp of his hands. 

“It is unusual for you to be restless.” The words are curious rather than accusatory. 

“Indeed.” He’s tired of pretending otherwise. 

“You have a meeting with Hanako-sama tomorrow. I was to inform you that the location has changed. She will see you in the lab rather than her office.”

“I appreciate the notice.” The words are serene as he can make them, but Oda hesitates. 

“Was there anything else?” Goro asked dryly.

A hand clasps his arm, briefly but with intensity.

“Be well, Takemura-san.” 

And for just a moment, Goro is reminded of the little boy he had met those many years ago. Time has changed them both, hardened them and shown them the darker facets of each, but their bond was a rare thing, a true thing. 

“And you, Oda.” 

Goro leaves the compound for several hours, to walk the grounds and reflect on his thoughts, but it is another sleepless night. 

XX 

Goro leaves his meeting with Hanako the following morning in such a state of unrest that he finds himself back at his rooms rather than the training yard as is his custom. The appointment had actually required very little input from him in the review process, but the content.... 

The results they had reviewed were certainly _about_ him. But the commentary had left him feeling hounded in the strangest sort of way.

“Your cortisol levels are the lowest they’ve been in years.” the physician had announced with admiration and pride, “There’s also been an uptick in overall dopamine and oxytocin levels which we’ve used to improve your overall range. This should normalize in the next week or so, but additional activity in that same vein, should continue this positive trend.” 

The irony wasn’t lost on him, neither was Hanako-sama’s keen interest. 

He had seen that look from Arasaka-sama at one time or another during his tenure as bodyguard, but his daughter was better at hiding it. 

Hanako's smile was pleasant, calculating as she glanced between doctor and bodyguard, “I would consider that particular service a success then.”

“Indeed.” The physician bowed, “I will leave the rest of my report here for your full review, but I recommend a quarterly recurrence at a minimum, to maintain levels.” 

Saburo’s daughter smiled as she watched the other woman leave, “I shall keep that in mind.” 

No sooner had the doors slid shut when Goro spoke up. 

“Forgive me, Hanako-sama but I will have to disagree with the doctor. The experience was singular but I have no interest in another...vacation.” 

“Not at all?” The Arasaka heiress frowned, folding her arms as if she did not like what she was hearing, “Or should we revisit this conversation in a few months?” 

“At all. I prefer to focus on my duties.” 

Hanako’s pale eyes watch him unblinkingly before her perfect brows arch up in a measure of surprise, “Do you?” 

And for a single horrible moment Goro wondered if she _knew_ , if somehow she had guessed at the attachment he felt for that irreverent woman from Night City. 

“I take my responsibilities to Arasaka-sama very seriously.” He said stiffly, “I do not require much else.” 

“Of course, Takemura.” Hanako-sama’s voice was cool, soothing in its understanding, “I appreciate your candor as always.” 

But he was not certain that he had received equal transparency in return, and the echo of that conversation follows him as he slides open the door to his adjoining office, seeking some focus for the chaos of his thoughts.

It is the lack of sleep, he reasons as he sits down to review long neglected paperwork. He owes it to Arasaka to find another outlet or approach another doctor for a sleep aid. But clearly this has gone on too long. 

And that’s when he sees it, an envelope perched in the middle of his desk like a small bird. Plain and unadorned, he picks it up to find the paper of fine quality and crisp. There is no seal on it. 

_Guard your secrets and disguise your most cherished things with simplicity._

His throat tightens as the example of his own words stares back at him. 

Slipping it open, he draws out the matching card a moment later. It is unsigned and bears only three words. 

_For your box._

The other side of that simple card is blank. 

And so he returns to the envelope, gently cracking open the small sleeve to find a single scarlet _something_ at the bottom. 

Gently shaking it out onto the surface of his desk, he finds himself faced with a maple leaf barely the size of his thumbnail. Covered in some sort of protective coat, he picks it up to find it as delicate as ever, but perfectly preserved. 

He knows immediately where it comes from, can still remember the moment with searing clarity. 

He contemplates the meaning as he cradles the little leaf in his palm, wondering if Valerie knows the significance of what she had gifted him, believing that she must have. 

_Patience. Hope_.

_Until they met again._

_If they met again._

_It would have to be enough._

XX

It had been two months.

Four weeks is an eternity in counterintelligence, and Valerie returned from the weekend to find herself landed with one shitstorm after another. 

It gave her focus, providing a distraction from the aching hollowness in her chest. 

Her productivity had never been higher, but it had not meant much, not when Jenkins had been his usual dismissive self. The man had been her boss for little more than a year, and Valerie understood him to be more of a blunt instrument rather than a finely calibrated weapon. 

No doubt the company needed both, but if she had her way, there would come a day when she was no longer reporting to him. His lack of finesse seemed more a liability than a strength. His lack of subtlety didn’t help either. 

“Did you do a job for Abernathy I don’t know about?” 

Glancing up from her work, Valerie paused, trying to understand what Jenkiins was going on about. There was a box in the man’s hands, and an irritated frown on his face. 

Her brows rose, “I didn’t realize we had that sort of relationship. Should I have asked her for my recent promotion instead of you? Maybe I would have gotten more stock options.” 

“Don’t be glib.” Terse, Jenkins set the box down, folding his arms impatiently when she made no move towards it. Given that _he_ had been made to deliver it, Valerie was not surprised at the attitude. It was a slap in the face, and one she expected Abernathy had dolled out with a smile. 

“Since when do you play errand boy for her?” She wondered aloud, knowing that the question would needle and thereby distract Jenkins from the real value of the box. 

“I. Don’t.” Teeth gritted in a fierce sort of expression, Jenkins looked enraged, “But the Director was there, and _she_ was more than happy to volunteer me.” 

His grumbling gave her time to observe, to trace the fine woodwork of the box that sat with perfect symmetry on her desk. Almost golden in color, she could see a faint line around the top that suggested a lid, but it otherwise looked completely smooth. 

Glancing up to where Jenkins was still huffing, Valerie winced in real empathy, “I guess she hasn’t forgiven you for the fuck up in Mexico.” 

He grimaced, “Don’t I know it. Now open the box so I know what the big deal was. ” 

And so she did, lifting the lid to reveal a small white card nestled at the bottom, one she recognized. 

Controlling the expression on her face, Valerie glanced at the card before showing it to her boss. 

“It says... _seven_. “ Suppressing her amusement, her dry commentary is met with a scowl, “Any chance there are six other boxes you still need to get me?” 

“I don’t get it. Is this maybe some sort of code?”

“With one number?.” Valerie gave her boss a properly bland smile before closing the lid, shoving it behind a stack of papers with a sort of easy negligence meant to suggest she was disinterested in pursuing the topic further.

She would go over every inch of that box, but not here. 

Not where curiosity and speculation would follow. 

Not when it felt like her heart had crawled into her throat. 

“Must be some sort of thank you I guess.” She dismissed, turning back to her terminal.

“Any idea who gave it to you?” 

“I mean, you said Abernathy.” Her brows raised “Do we even want to know any more than that?” 

The pointed question was enough to make her boss walk away. As with all things at Arasaka, some questions were just not worth answering. 

XX

It takes her almost three months of dedicated and meticulous effort before the box gives up its secrets. The first three steps had been easy enough to figure, but after countless nights and more than a little research, Valerie had only managed another two steps of progress before finding herself well and truly stumped. 

_Seven steps_ , and she was stuck at solving the sixth. 

It may have taken Goro two years to solve, but Valerie is quite convinced that she will go mad if she cannot work out the solution in a fraction of the time. Jenkins might be no codebreaker, but _she_ had always had a knack for puzzles. At a minimum her pride wouldn’t be able to survive the blow.

Or maybe it is something even more fragile that feels as if it is on the verge of breaking. 

Her inability to resolve it bothers her, chafes against her good mood until she feels like even her carefully constructed corporate persona is on the edge of shattering beneath the strain. 

Desperate for a distraction, for anything, she takes a high risk operation on the outskirts of Night City to channel some of the frustration and finds that the volatile situation suits her nicely. 

Two days after a particularly invigorating firefight against Militech smugglers, Valerie finds that she has the solution in hand. 

The mission is closed in short order and she returns to her apartment the following day to assess the seventh step, the final piece of the puzzle. 

The night she manages it, Night City is in the midst of a torrential downpour, the likes of which are rare. She doesn’t mind either the dark or the sound of the rain hitting the wide wall of windows, but the lightning makes her pause. 

There’s a charge in the air, of that there is no doubt. 

Running her hands over the now familiar box, she is struck by how very tactile it is, solid but startlingly warm. 

_Like him_. 

Inhaling roughly, she tries to focus on the task, to suppress the wave of emotions that has, for months, seemed to drift too close to the surface. Pads of her fingers skimming the final challenge, she pauses when another particularly brilliant bolt of lightning arcs through the sky. 

But it is the soft click of the final piece slipping into place that seems to thunder most loudly in the cavernous space of her condo. 

And when the bottom of the box opens to reveal the small compartment beneath, Valerie exhales the breath she had not even realized she had been holding. 

There’s something inside, something _real_. 

Glinting in the dark, she leaned forward to examine it before curious fingers gently pried it loose. Having left the lights off deference to the roiling lightshow of the storm, Valerie walks closer to the window to get a better look. 

A delicate gold necklace, and at its heart, a tiny maple leaf shaped pendant. 

_What beauty, this gift._

She is touched by his thoughtfulness, charmed by his sense of poetry. 

It is only once she’s put it on that she feels it, the electronic tug that prompts her to open her cyberdeck, the digital handshake that occurs before she has time to truly understand. 

The pendant warms, because of _him_. 

The barest hint of him is returned to her. 

And _that_ is when she knows, truly knows, that she has not been alone in her affections. 

Sagging against the window, she presses her hand over her mouth as the tears spring from her eyes. And when the grief crashes up over her with an intensity borne of months of suppression, she very nearly chokes on her sobs. 

_She misses Goro._

And whether it made sense, or was correct or was in keeping with company policy had no bearing on the fact that somehow, someway, he had come to feel the same way. 

And into the dark of the night drifted the memory of that long ago evening, the quiet hours where they slept side by side, curled around one another like lovers, her hand upon his chest, his heart. 

Hand on pendant, she swore she could feel the flutter of his heartbeat beneath her palm.

_Until they met again._

_If they met again._

_It would have to be enough_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading!


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